1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fuel oil systems generally, and particularly to emergency generator fuel oil systems and a new method for fully automated operation thereof.
2. Prior Art
Conventional emergency generator fuel oil delivery systems consist of an assembly of mechanical parts including holding tanks, a piping system, and control valves all of which delivers fuel oil to one or more fuel oil emergency generators. Until fairly recently operation of such systems was manual requiring the system operator to physically throw switches and turn valves on or off. By the mid-1990s, in order to ensure the operational integrity of emergency generator fuel oil systems, owners were requiring monthly or even weekly testing and certification by qualified facility engineers or by fuel oil service contractors.
In the mid-2000s owners and end users began requiring that systems be fully automated and capable of being integrated into building management systems, requesting features such as remote monitoring and troubleshooting, and the ability to adjust equipment function through computer systems connected to the system via local and wide area computer networks. Unfortunately, no systems or equipment had by then been developed that complied with those requirements.
Even though some prior art systems have been provided with an automatic operating mode, entering into the automatic operating mode requires performing a manual operation such as flipping a switch or pressing a button in an control panel. Moreover, the extent to which such systems have been automated is limited to the use of electronic monitoring panels that merely read or sense fluid levels, fluid loss or leakage, and loss of testing vacuum. These preexisting monitoring devices are programmed and designed to generate audible and visual warnings, print alarm reports, and alert end users to call a physical plant engineer to respond to the problem, but they do not automatically react or respond to such alerts with appropriate corrective action. No prior art emergency generator fuel oil delivery systems provides hands-free fully automated operation, the ability to program the system for remote operation and management, or the capacity to return unused fuel to storage tanks for cleaning and reuse.